Friday, April 17, 2009

Ghost photographed in haunted hotel

A hotel in Romania has become a local attraction after a photograph of a ghost was published by newspapers and television.

The ghost of a tall woman in a long white dress reportedly watches the hallways and staircases of the Decebal hotel, in the Baile Herculane mountain spa.

The 150-year-old hotel is believed to hide ancient Roman treasure under its foundations and the ghost is said by locals to keep treasure hunters away.

The hotel has been closed for renovations for five years but people who have ventured inside claim to have seen - and photographed - the ghost.

Victoria Iovan, 33, from Baile Herculane, said: "I photographed my boyfriend in the hotel. Back home I was shocked to see another woman's shadow in the picture. She looked like a priestess in long white clothes."

Another witness, a high school student called Alexandra, said he and six classmates went into the hotel late one evening for fun.

"All of a sudden we felt a cold air and we saw a white silhouette close to us. We couldn't find our way out because we ran so fast," he said.

Local authorities have warned people not to go into the hotel because they say it is unsafe because of the building work.